Cabling lace attachment



Dec. 13, 1966 KALTSAS ET AL 3,290,899

GABLING LACE ATTACHMENT Filed June 30, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 D66. 13,1986 A" mmgjg'ggag; ET" AL CABLING LACE ATTACHMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed June 30, 1964 Dec. 13, 1966 A s g ET AL GABLING LACE ATTACHMENT 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 30, 1964 m hn United States Patent 3,290,899CABLING LACE ATTACHMENT Angel Kaltsas and Garabed Kinosian, Worcester,and Robert F. Javery, Oxford, Mass, assignors to Knitting Mills, Inc.,Manchester, N.H., a corporation of New Hampshire Filed June 30, 1964,Ser. No. 379,226 (Ilaims. (Cl. 66-96) The present invention relates toan improved lace attachment for use in fiat full-fashioned knittingmachines, and more particularly to such an attachment adapted foreffecting loop transfers of an extreme width as may be required, forexample, in theknitting of a cable and similar stitches on coarse gagemachines.

The invention may be regarded as an improvement on the lace attachmentillustrated in the prior US. Patent No. 2,182,220 granted to G. Bitzer,December 5, 1939, to which reference may be had for an understanding ofsuch parts of the machine as are not shown or not described herein.

In a lace attachment of the type herein set forth the position of thelace point bar and loop transfer fingers thereon is initially determinedby the spring pressed engagement of a lace bar shift assembly connectedto the bar with any selected one of a series of stops carried by a laceattachment pattern chain. The lace bar and point transfer fingerscarried thereby are then transferred, subsequent to the first looplifting dip but prior to the second loop depositing dip of the narrowingmachine motion either to the right or to the left to effect acorresponding transfer of the lifted loops as illustrated in the priorpatent to Bitzer above referred to, by the operation of cam and followerconnections which form a part of said lace bar shift assembly and whichoperate to shift the lace bar with relation to the engaged pattern chainsupported stop. For use in relatively fine gage machines in which thedistance between adjacent needles is small, a shift of one, two or threeneedle indexes is readily effected by a controlled relative movement ofsaid cam and follower elements. However, for use in coarse gage machinesin which the needles are spaced further apart, and for the formation ofstitches requiring a wider transfer of selected loops from one needle toanother, a shift mechanism of this description has been found inadequateto effect the relatively wide loop transfer shift of the lace bar andlace fingers demanded.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved laceattachment adapted for effecting wide loop shifting movements of a lacefinger over a plurality of needle indexes, rapidly and in timed relationto the loop transfer cycle of the machine.

More specifically it is an object of the invention to provide amechanism of this general description which is well adapted for thetransfer of selected needle wale loops over a number of needle indexesin coarse gage machines wherein the span of such transfer movementprecludes the use of the normally employed spiral shifting cams.

With the above and other objects in view as may hereinafter appear, afeature of the invention consists in the provision of a lace barpositioning attachment having a pattern chain supported series of stopsfor arresting movement of the lace bar in any one of a number of initialpositions, a follower contact element shiftable with the lace bar forengagement with any selected stop, and a power actuated high speedshifting device operable during a loop shifting operation of the machinefor effecting a substantially instantaneous wide shift of the lace barand lace points thereon from said initial loop pick-up position over anumber of needle indexes to a predetermined loop shift position.

.a narrowing machine rock shaft 60.

3,290,899 Patented Dec. 13, 1966 The several features of the inventionconsist also in the devices, combinations and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, which together with the advantages to beobtained thereby will be readily understood by one skilled in the artfrom the following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a detail view in front elevation of a lace attachment embodiedin a coarse gage full-fashioned type knitting machine, only so much ofthe machine being shown as necessary to illustrate the connection of thepresent invention therewith;

FIG. 2 is a somewhat fragmentary sectional view of the machine includingthe parts shown in FIG. 1 looking from the left, illustrating the lacepoint operating mechanism including the narrowing machine frame,narrowing cams and certain operating controls;

FIG. 3 is a detail view on a smaller scale of the mechanism shown inFIG. 2 for shifting the lace points, left and right;

FIG. 4 is a detail top plan view taken substantially along the line 4-4of FIG. 2, and to a slightly smaller scale, of other portions of themechanism for causing the lace points to shift, right and left; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail view in front elevation of the lace pointshift mechanism illustrated in FIG. 1, the parts being shown in solidlines in an initial loop lifting position, and by dot-and-dash lines inthe extreme shifted movement to the right.

Referring more specifically to the drawings a lace attachment embodyingin a preferred form the several features of the invention is shown asembodied in a coarse gage full-fashioned multiple section knittingmachine of the general type illustrated, for example, in the Bitzerpatent above referred to. The machine, as shown in the somewhatdigrammatic cross-sectional FIG. 2, consists of a frame includinglengthwise extending upper rail 20, work table 22, and lower front rail24- which are carried on cross supporting frames such as that indicatedin dot-and-dash lines at 26 in FIG. 1. A main cam shaft 27 extends alongthe length of the machine in the base portion thereof. The knittingmechanism of the machine includes for each knitting section the usualneedle bar 28 supporting upwardly extending spring beard needles 30,sinkers 32 horizontally movable on a sinker bed 34, the forward edge ofwhich provides a press edge for the needle beards, and the usualknock-over bits, not here shown. The needle bar 28 is supported forupand-d'own movement on horizontal rocker arms 40 carried on a rockshaft 42 which carries downwardly extending cam levers 44 actuated bycams on the cam shaft 27. For rocking the needles forward and back theneedle bar 28 is provided with a downward extension 46 connected by ahorizontal link 48 with a depending arm 50 carried on a rock shaft 52actuated from the cam shaft 27 through cam and follower connections, notshown. The machine is also provided with the usual narrowing frame inthe form of a bar 56 which extends along the length of the machine abovethe needles and is supported for vertical dipping movements withrelation to the needles on a plurality of curved arms 58 spaced alongthe length of the machine and pivotally supported at their rear ends onThe narrowing machine frame is supported for up-and-down movements aboutits pivot shaft 60 by means of vertical links 62 connected at theirupper ends to the narrowing machine shaft 56 and at their lower ends torearwardly extending cam follower levers 64 adapted for engagement withnarrowing machine operating cams on the cam shaft 27. Brackets 66 spacedalong the length of the narrowing machine shaft 56 provide support for alongitudinally shiftable lace rod 63 to which are attached lace points79 and their supporting brackets 72. Inasmuch as the mechanism forsupporting and for moving the needles and the machine narrowing'frame inaccordance with a loop transfer cycle of operations is well known and isfully set forth in the Bitzer patent above referred to, no specificdescription thereof is believed necessary.

In accordance with the procedure well known in machines of the generaltype referred to the machine is conditioned for a loop transferoperation by shogging the cam shaft 27 lengthwise from the usualknitting position to a narrowing position-in which the needles arecontrolled by a separate set of narrowing cams, and the narrowingmachine is similarly rendered operative for movement in accordance witha so-called narrowing or loop transfer operation. In this operation thenarrowing frame 56 makes a first relatively shallow dipping and returnupward movement in conjunction with a vertical movement of the needles36 to transfer cooperating loops from selected needles to the lacepoints 70 which the sinkers 32 are advanced by the operation of theusual catch bar, not shown, to hold down the fabric. The point fingerssupported on the narrowing frame are shifted longitudinally of theneedle series, and the narrowing machine thereafter makes a seconddeeper dipping movement in conjunction with a second vertical movementof the needles during which the loops held by the transfer points arereturned to cooperating needles. The narrowing machine 56 and lace bar68 are now returned to the high inoperative position, the sinkers beingagain advanced to hold down the fabric hung on the needles. Inasmuch asall of the movements embodied in the narrowing cycle of operation abovedescribed take place during a single revolution of the main cam shaft,the time period which can be allotted for effecting the longitudinalloop transfer shift of the loop transfer points is necessarily limited.These movements must therefore be performed in the shortest possibletime consistent with the high degree of precision required.

The lace attachment of the machine hereinafter more particularly to bedescribed is employed to control the lengthwise position of the lace bar68 on the narrowing machine bar 56. A tension spring 71 (see FIG. 1)connected at one end to the lace bar 68 biases the lace bar normally tothe left into engagement with a vertical end plate 72 forming part of apusher device operable at the beginning of each narrowing cycle of themachine to push the lace bar assembly momentarily to the right, thisbeing the position of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1. The plate 72 ismounted on a longitudinally movable slide 73 having mounted thereon afollower roll 74 adapted to be operated upon by a cam face formed on avertically movable plunger 75. Inasmuch as the pusher device referred tois well known and is fully set forth in the Bitzer patent above referredto, no further description thereof is believed necessary.

The lace attachment includes a pattern controlled stop device againstwhich the lace rod is positioned at the beginning of each successiveloop transfer operation consisting of a short pattern chain 78supporting a series of stops 80 of different lengths. The chain 78 istrained about a sprocket 82 rotatable on a vertical axis on a pivotsupport 84 carried by the narrowing machine frame, and is additionallysupported on a sprocket 86 carried by a U-shaped take-up element 88.Advancing movements are imparted to the sprocket chain by means of apawl and ratchet mechanism of ordinary description generally designatedat 90. The stops 80, brought selectively into operating position, areengaged by a contact member 94 forming part of a lace bar shift assemblyslidably mounted on the narrowing machine and connected for movementwith the lace bar 68. The lace bar shift assembly referred to comprisesa block 96 mounted on one end of a slide bar 98 supported for lengthwisesliding movements in a housing generally indicated at 99. An arm 100extending downwardly from the left hand end of slide bar 98 is sleevedat its lower end to the lace bar 68 and is arranged for engagement witha collar 182 adjustably secured to the lace bar. A tension spring 104connected between the slide bar 98 and the housing 99 biases the slideblock 96, slide bar 98 and arm 190 to the right against the collar 102so that the slide block 96 and lace bar 68 are normally connected tomove as a unit.

The block 96 provides a backing support for a face cam disc 108 havingon the exposed face thereof cam pins 118. Cam disc 108 is sleeved on atubular member 112 which passes through axial bores in the block 96 andin the cam disc 108, and is provided with a flange 114 interposedbetween the disc and block. The cam disc 108 and the flanged tubularmember 112 are rigidly secured to the block by means of a screw bolt116. A shift rod 118 slidably supported within the axial bore providedby the tubular member 112 is provided at its left hand end as shown inFIG. 5 with a flange 126 which is seated against the bottom or end ofthe recess formed in cap 124, and is provided at its other end with anadjustable wide shift stop 127 and an end stop 128 threaded to the shiftrod 118 for lengthwise adjustment thereon. The shift rod 118 forms partof a rapid multiple needle index shift device for the lace points whichis hereinafter to be described.

A lace point shift assembly is interposed between the cam pins and theselected chain supported stop pin 80 comprising a cam sleeve 122slidably mounted on the tubular member 112 having a cam face 123 forengagement with the pins 110, and a cap 124 secured to the opposite faceof the sleeve having formed thereon the contact stem 94 for engagementwith the stop 80.

With the illustrated construction an axial movement of the slide block96 and lace bar 68 to the left from the intermediate position shown inFIG. 5 is effected by a limited rotational movement of the lace pointshift sleeve assembly 129 including cam face 123 which moves the camface 123 and cam disc 108 relatively together. Such movement is effectedthrough linkage connections with a cam on the main cam shaft 27 of themachine, said connections comprising an arm 134 projecting upwardly fromthe cam sleeve member 122 which is connected through a universal pivotconnection 136 with a link 140. At its rear end the link 140 ispivotally connected to the forked upper end of a link 142, which is inturn pivotally connected at its lower end to an upwardly extending armof a lever 144 pivoted on the narrowing machine pivot shaft 60. Thelever 144 is also pivotally connected to the upper end of a link 148having a lower pivotal connection with one arm of a lace point shift camlever 150, the other arm of which carries two followers 152, 154, to beactuated respectively by lace point shift cams 153 and on the main camshaft 27.

For use in coarse gage machines, which may be 8 or 12 gage as hereshown, the cam and follower elements of the shift mechanism areconstructed and arranged to shift the lace bar 68 to the left thelengthwise distance of a single needle index only. The cam shift member122 and linkage connections above described locate the cam shift member122 normally in a neutral upright position in which the cam disc 108 andshift member 122 are moved apart (as shown in full lines in FIG. 5) asof the moment when the contact member 94 is engaged with a selected stop80 at the start of the loop transfer operation. Assuming that the loopstaken by the loop lifting points in the first dipping motion of thenarrowing machine are to be moved to the left the cam follower 152 isbrought into alignment with its cam 153 on the main cam shaft 27 causingthe lace point cam shifting member 122 to be rocked rearwardly to aposition in which the cam pins 110 are engaged with a low portion of thecam. The block 96, cam disc 108, and lace points connected thereto arethus moved one needle index to the left.

In accordance with the invention a separate shifting device is employedfor shifting the slide block 96 and lace bar 68 a substantial number ofneedle indexes to the right after the narrowing machine has made itsfirst dipping motion to pick off the selected needle loops, and prior tothe second dipping motion during which the shifted loops are transferredback to the needles. The shift device comprises a pressure cylinder 160(see FIG. 1) which is mounted in alignment with and beyond the end ofshift rod 118 in a bracket 162 supported for sliding movement on astationary supporting surface 164. The bracket 162 is connected by alink 166 with a collar 168 secured to the block 96 by screw bolts 170,so that the pressure cylinder 160 is connected to move as a unit withthe block 96. The cylinder is provided with a piston 172 and a pistonrod 174 having mounted on the outer end thereof a stop nut 176 having ananvil surface for engagement with the end stop 128 threaded to the shiftrod 118. A pair of tension springs at opposite sides of the lace rodshift assembly of which one is shown at 178 in FIG. 1 are connectedbetween a collar 180 forming part of the lace point cam member shiftassembly and the collar 168 secured to the block 96 in order to bias thecam member 122 normally into operative engagement with the cam disc 108and associated block 96.

Operation of the pneumatic cylinder 160 is effected by a reversing valveconventionally shown in FIG. 1 as comprising a housing 182 bored toreceive an axially shiftable valve member 184. Air under pressure issupplied to the reversing valve from a pump 186 to a centrally locatedinlet port 188 and thence through passageway provided by a land 190 andoutlet port 192 to the left hand end of the cylinder 160 oralternatively through a passageway provided by a land 194 and outletport 196 to the right hand end of the cylinder 160. Air pressure isexhausted from the discharge end of the cylinder through the valvehousing and exhaust ports 198 or 298 depending upon the position of thevalve member 184.

The valve member 184 is shifted to the right as shown in FIG. 1 by theenergizing of a solenoid 204 attached to the right hand end of the valvemember 184 causing the cylinder and piston to be relatively contracted.For this position of the pressure cylinder as shown in FIG. 5, the axialposition of the block 96 and associated parts including the lace points70 is determined by the relative engaging position of the lace pointshift cam member 122 and the block supported cam pin member 108. Whenthe valve member 184 is shifted to the left by the energizing ofsolenoid 206 attached to the left hand end of the valve member, pressurecylinder 166 and piston rod are relatively expanded causing the cylinder160, the block 96 attached thereto, and the lace points 68 to be movedrapidly to the right with relation to the relatively fixed pattern stop80, and the contact stem 94 and cap 124 and shift rod 118 engagedthereagainst.

The solenoids are operated to shift the pressure cylinder and lacepoints controlled thereby between alternative neutral and shiftedpositions by controls attached to the lace point shift cam lever 150. Asshown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, an upwardly extending link 210 isconnected between the free end of cam lever 150 and the lower section212 of a vertically disposed telescoping switch plunger, the uppersection 214 of which is slidably supported on a bracket 216. A V-shapedactuator 218 secured to the plunger section 212 is arranged in the pathof a switch 222 connected with solenoid 204 for shifting the pressurecylinder to its contracted position. The upper section 214 of theplunger when moved upwardly engages the switch arm 224 of a controlswitch 226 connected with solenoid 206 for shifting the pressurecylinder 160 to its fully extended lace point shift position. Acompression spring 228 interposed between a collar 230 on the plungerand a portion of the bracket 216 maintains the upper plunger section 214normally in a retracted inoperative position determined by theengagement of a collar 232 on the plunger with a portion of the bracket216.

The operation of the machine to effect the wide shift of the lace points68 to the right is effected as follows:

The pattern operated controls of the machine will have caused the camshaft 27 to be shogged to the narrowing position. Control rod 208 shownin FIG. 4 is shifted, shifting cam follower 154 into engagement withlace point shift cam 155 on the main cam shaft causing lace point shiftcam lever 150 to be rocked clockwise and then back to its initialposition during the narrowing cycle. The lower section 212 of the switchplunger moves upwardly actuating switch plunger 220 of solenoid switch222. Solenoid 204 is momentarily energized but has no effect since valvemember 184 is already in the position to the right as shown in FIG. 1.Continued upward movement of the lower section 212 causes the uppersection 214 to rise to engagement with switch arm 224 actuating switch226 which energizes solenoid 206 shifting the reversing valve member 184to the left. Air is admitted to the right hand end of pressure cylinder160. Since the piston rod 174, lace point shift rod 118, and contact pin94 are solidly seated against a selected stop at this time the pressurecylinder 1160 together with the block 96 connected thereto and lace rod68 with lace points 70 is moved rapidly to the right as viewed in FIG. 1a distance measured by the engagement of adjustable sleeve stop 127 onthe shift rod 118 with sleeve 168 attached to the block 96. Thenarrowing cycle of operations continues with the second dipping movementof the narrowing machine frame 56 in which the shifted loops aretransferred back to the needles and the narrowing machine frame 56 isagain raised to its high position. At this time the lace point shift camlever is rocked counterclockwise to its initial position causing theswitch plunger 212, 214 to be moved downwardly so that actuator 218 actsagainst switch arm 22% to close switch 222 and to energize solenoid 204.Valve member 184 is shifted again to its right hand position so thatairunder pressure is supplied to the left hand end of pressure cylinder160, causing pressure cylinder and the block 96, lace point rod 68 andlace points 78 connected to the cylinder to be shifted leftwardly totheir initial position. It will be understood that during thesemovements the parts described are biased to the left against theselected pattern stop 80 by the overriding bias of the heavy tensionspring 71 acting against the lace point rod 68.

The invention having been described what is claimed is:

1. A lace attachment for a fiat full-fashioned cottontype knittingmachine having knitting devices including a series of needles movable asa unit, a narrowing frame adapted for loop taking and loop returndipping movements in accordance with a loop transfer cycle, and a lacebar having needle engaging loop transfer points axially shiftable onsaid narrowing frame, having, in combination, a lace point transferassembly comprising a slide on the narrowing frame connected with thelace bar for shifting the lace bar, a stop on the narrowing frame, andmeans biasing the slide against said stop, a high speed shift pressurecylinder comprising cooperating cylinder and piston elements, one ofsaid elements being connected with said slide and the other of saidelements acting against said stop, said piston and cylinder elementsbeing relatively shiftable between a contracted position and analternative expanded position in one of which positions said slide andlace bar are transferred away from said stop a plurality of needleindexes, means for supplying fluid under pressure to said pressurecylinder, and control means timed with said narrowing machine dippingmovements for expanding and for contracting said pressure cylinder formoving said slide and lace bar between said stop engaging and saidtransferred positions.

2. A lace attachment for a flat full-fashioned cottontype knittingmachine having knitting devices including a series of needles movable asa unit, a narrowing frame adapted for loop taking and loop returndipping movements in accordance with a loop transfer cycle, and a lacebar having needle engaging loop transfer points axially shiftable onsaid narrowing frame having, in combination, a lace point transferassembly comprising a slide on the narrowing frame connected with thelace bar for shifting the lace bar, a stop on the narrowing frame, andmeans biasing the slide against said stop, a spacing device interposedbetween the slide and said stop having a normal position and analternative shifted position in which said slide and lace bar aretransferred a needle index toward said stop, a high speed shift deviceindependent of said spacing device connected between said stop and saidslide having a normal position and an alternative shifted position inwhich said slide and lace bar are transferred away from said stop aplurality of needle indexes, and actuating means timed with saidnarrowing machine dipping movements for rendering a selected one of saidspacing device and said high speed shifting device operative to shiftsaid slide and lace bar from the normal to the shifted position.

3. In a lace attachment for a fiat full-fashioned cottontype knittingmachine having knitting devices including a series of needles movable asa unit, a narrowing frame adapted for loop taking and loop returndipping movements in accordance with a loop transfer cycle, and a lacebar having needle engaging loop transfer points axially shiftable onsaid narrowing frame, the combination of a lace point transfer assemblycomprising a slide on the narrowing frame connected with the lace bar, astop on the narrowing frame, and means biasing the slide against saidstop, a spacing device comprising a block on said slide having a camface, a sleeve support passing through said block in axial alignmentwith said stop, a cam-faced spacing element rotatably and axiallyshiftable on said sleeve support between said cam face and said stops, ashift rod supported within said sleeve connected at its inner end withsaid spacing element, means for rotating said spacing element between anormal position and an alternative shifted position in which said lacebar and shift rod are transferred one needle index toward said stop, ahigh speed shift pressure cylinder comprising a cooperating cylinder andpiston element, one of said cylinder and piston elements being connectedwith said slide and the other of said cylinder and piston elementsacting against said shift rod, and means for supplying fluid underpressure to said pressure cylinder to shift said pressure cylinder andlace bar between a normally contracted position of said pressurecylinder and an expanded position of said pressure cylinder in whichsaid slide and lace bar are transferred away from said stop a pluralityof needle indexes.

4. A lace attachment for a flat full-fashioned cottontype knittingmachine having knitting devices including a series of needles movable asa unit, a narrowing frame adapted for loop taking and loop returndipping movements in accordance with a loop transfer cycle, and a lacebar having needle engaging loop transfer points axially shiftable onsaid narrowing frame having, in combination, a lace point transferassembly comprising a slide on the narrowing frame connected with thelace bar for shifting.

the lace bar, a stop on the narrowing frame, a contact member on saidslide engaging said stop for positioning the slide and lace barlongitudinally, and a shift mechanism for relatively shifting saidcontact member and slide to effect a loop shifting movement of said lacebar com prising a high speed shift pressure cylinder having cooperatingcylinder and piston elements, connected between said slide and saidcontact member, means for supplying fluid under pressure to saidpressure cylinder, and control means timed with said narrowing machinedipping movements controlling the supply of pressure fluid for expandingand contracting said pressure cylinder.

5. A lace attachment for a fiat full-fashioned cottontype knittingmachine having knitting devices including a series of needles movable asa unit, a narrowing frame adapted for loop taking and loop returndipping movements in accordance with a loop transfer cycle, and a lacebar having needle engaging loop transfer points axially shiftable onsaid narrowing frame having, in combination, a lace point transferassembly comprising a slide on the narrowing frame connected with thelace bar for shifting the lace bar, a stop on the narrowing frame, acontact member on said slide engaging said stop for positioning theslide and lace bar longitudinally, and a shift mechanism for relativelyshifting said contact member and said slide including a spacing deviceinterposed between the slide and said contact member having a normalposition and alternative shifted positions at opposite sides of saidnormal position, cam and follower spacing connections between said slideand contact member for effecting a shift of said slide in one direction,a high speed shift pressure cylinder comprising cooperating cylinder andpiston elements connected between said slide and said contact member foreffecting a shift of said slide in the opposite direction from saidnormal position, means for supplying fluid under pressure to saidpressure cylinder, electrically operated connections for directing theflow of said fluid to shift said pressure cylinder between alternatecontracted and expanded positions, and control means comprising anactuator shiftable in one path for controlling said cam and followerconnections to effect the shift in said one direction and shiftable in asecond path for operating said switch connections and pressure cylindercontrolled thereby to effect the shift in the opposite direction.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,182,220 12/1939Bitzer 6696 2,416,933 3/1947 Lynam et al 66154 2,442,822 6/ 1948 Monk.

3,089,322 5/1963 Bruce et al. 66--154 3,243,976 4/1966 Matthews 66148MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

W. C. REYNOLDS, Assistant Examiner.

2. A LACE ATTACHMENT FOR A FLAT FULL-FASHIONED COTTONTYPE KNITTING MACHINE HAVING KNITTING DEVICES INCLUDING A SERIES OF NEEDLES MOVABLE AS A UNIT, A NARROWING FRAME ADAPTED FOR LOOP TAKING AND LOOP RETURN DIPPING MOVEMENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH A LOOP TRANSFER CYCLE, AND A LACE BAR HAVING NEEDLE ENGAGING LOOP TRANSFER POINTS AXIALLY SHIFTABLE ON SAID NARROWING FRAME HAVING, IN COMBINATION, A LACE POINT TRANSFER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A SLIDE ON THE NARROWING FRAME CONNECTED WITH THE LACE BAR FOR SHIFTING THE LACE BAR, A STOP ON THE NARROWING FRAME, AND MEANS BIASING THE SLIDE AGAINST SAID STOP, A SPACING DEVICE INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE SLIDE AND SAID STOP HAVING A NORMAL POSITION AND AN ALTERNATIVE SHIFTED POSITION IN WHICH SAID SLIDE AND LACE BAR ARE TRANSFERRED A NEEDLE INDEX TOWARD SAID STOP, A HIGH SPEED SHIFT DEVICE INDEPENDENT OF SAID SPACING DEVICE CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID STOP AND SAID SLIDE HAVING A NORMAL POSITION AND AN ALTERNATIVE SHIFTED POSITION IN WHICH SAID SLIDE AND LACE BAR ARE TRANSFERRED AWAY FROM SAID STOP A PLURALITY OF NEEDLE INDEXES, AND ACTUATING MEANS TIMED WITH SAID NARROWING MACHINE DIPPING MOVEMENTS FOR RENDERING A SELECTED ONE OF SAID SPACING DEVICE AND SAID HIGH SPEED SHIFTING DEVICE OPERATING TO SHIFT SAID SLIDE AND LACE BAR FROM THE NORMAL TO THE SHIFTED POSITION. 